CPT CHANGES FOR
2015
Submission by:
Amy Pritchett, bsha, cpc, canpc, cascc, cedc, cmpm,
cdmp, icdct-cm, icdct-pcs, icdct-ccc, cmrs, c-ahi
2015 CPT Changes
®
 266 New Codes
 147 Deleted Codes
 129 Revised Codes
 Total of 9,951 CPT® codes to reference!
Evaluation and
Management
Chronic Care Management
-
99490:
At least 20 minutes
Complex Chronic Care Management
-99487: 60 minutes
+99488: each additional 30 minutes
Will only be paid once per month to one provider- first
one with their claim in first will receive reimbursement
Evaluation and
Management
 Chronic Care Management 99490
 Patients who receive chronic care management
services have two or more chronic continuous or
episodic health conditions that are expected to last at
least 12 months or until the death of the patient, and
that place the patient at significant risk of death,
acute exacerbation/decompensation, or functional
decline.
 Code 99490 is reported when, during a calendar
month, at least 20 minutes of clinical staff time is spent
in care management activities
Evaluation and
Management
 Complex Chronic Care Management 99487
 The same criteria for CCM is required as well as
establishment or substantial revision of the
comprehensive care plan; medical, functional and/or
psychosocial problems requiring medical decision
making of moderate or high complexity; and clinical
staff care management series for at least 60 minutes,
under the direction of a physician or other qualified
care professional
 Each additional 30 minutes reported with add-on
codes
Advanced Care Planning
 99497
 Advanced Care Planning- first 30 minutes
 +99498:
 Each additional 30 minutes
Evaluation and Management
 Advanced Care Planning 99497
 “explanation and discussion of advanced directives such
as standard forms (with completion, of forms, when
performed) by the physician, first 30 minutes face-to-face
time with the patient, family member(s), and/or surrogate
 Each additional 30 minutes use add-on-code 99498
 Advanced Care Planning can be billed on the same day
as other E/M services
Musculoskeletal System
 Arthrocentesis codes 20600-20610 have been revised
and expanded for cases utilizing ultrasound guidance
 27370 has been revised to clarify the injection of
contrast for knee arthrography.
 20610 or 29871 should not be reported for injection of
contrast
 20600: Arthrocentesis, aspiration and/or injection; small
joint or bursa ( has been revised for 2015)
 20604: with ultrasound guidance, with permanent
recording and reporting (added code for 2015)
Musculoskeletal System
 20604: Arthrocentesis, aspiration and/or injection;
intermediate joint or bursa (revised for 2015)
 20605: with ultrasound guidance, with permanent
recording and reporting (added code for 2015)
 20610: Arthrocentesis, aspiration and/or injection;
large joint or bursa (revised for 2015)
 20611: with ultrasound guidance, with permanent
recording and reporting (added code for 2015)
What is a Permanent
Record?
 Ultrasound images will have to be captured and
maintained as part of the surgical record. It is not
enough to state, “ultrasound guidance used” to report
this added code for 2015
Musculoskeletal System
 27279:
Arthrodesis, sacroiliac joint, percutaneous or
minimally invasive (indirect visualization),
with image guidance, includes obtaining
bone graft when performed, and placement
of transfixing device (added code for 2015)
 27280:
Arthrodesis, open, sacroiliac joint, (including
obtaining bone graft) including
instrumentation, when performed (revised
code for 2015)
Cardiothoracic Surgery
 34839:
Physician planning of a patient-specific
fenestrated visceral aortic endograft
requiring a minimum of 90 minutes of
physician time (added code for 2015)
 New guidelines have been added to indicate,
“planning” includes the review of high resolution crosssectional images (eg, CT, CTA, MRI and utilization of 3D software) for modeling of the aorta and device in
multiplanar views and center line of flow analysis
 Time does not need to be continuous but, the
physician must have spent a minimum of 90 minutes
with the patient
Cardiothoracic Surgery
 Prolonged extracorporeal membrane oxygenation
(ECMO) or extracorporeal life support (ECLS)
 33946-33989 (25) replaces 33960 and 33961 (2)
 New codes were created to define the initiation of the
ECMO/ECLS, daily management, cannulation,
repositioning, and removing and adding cannula(e)
 Some codes are also age based
Gastroenterology
 91110:
Gastrointestinal tract imaging, intraluminal
(eg, capsule endoscopy), esophagus,
through ileum, with interpretation and report
(added code for 2015)
 91111:
Gastrointestinal tract imaging, intraluminal
(eg, capsule endoscopy), esophagus with
interpretation and report (added code for
2015)
 91111:
Replaces Category III code 0355T
Gastroenterology
 Modifier 53
 When performing a screening or diagnostic endoscopy
on a patient who is scheduled and prepared for a total
colonoscopy, if the physician is unable to advance the
colonoscope to the cecum or colon-small intestine
anastomosis due to unforeseen circumstances, report
45378 with modifier 53
Gastroenterology
 Modifier 52
 For therapeutic examinations that do not reach the
cecum, report the appropriate therapeutic colonoscopy
code with modifier -52
 Report flexible sigmoidoscopy for endoscopic
examination during which the endoscope is not
advanced beyond the splenic flexure
Gatroenterology
 New Medicare G-Codes for 2015- and How to Report
If the code has not changed from 2014-2015
 Physicians report the CPT® code
 CMS fees based on 2014 values
 If the code has changed from 2014 to 2015
 Physicians report the G-code
 CMS fees based on the 2014 values
 If the code is NEW for 2015
 Physicians report the CPT® code
 Not valued by CMS
Table of New G-Codes
2014 CPT®
Code
2015 HCPCS Description
Code
44383
G6018
Ileoscopy, through stoma, with
transendoscopic stent placement
44393
G6019
Colonoscopy, through stoma, with ablation
of tumor(s) or other lesion
44397
G6020
Colonoscopy, through stoma, with
trandendoscopic stent placement
44799
G6021
Unlisted procedure, intestine
45339
G6022
Sigmoidoscopy, flexible, with ablation of
tumor(s), polyp(s), or other lesion(s)
45345
G6023
Sigmoidoscopy, flexible, with
transendoscopic stent placement
45383
G6024
Colonoscopy, flexible, proximal to splenic
flexure, with ablation of tumor(s)
45387
G6025
Colonoscopy, flexible, proximal to splenic
flexure, with transendoscopic stent
placement
0226T
G6026
Anoscopy, high resolution (HRA)..with
brushing or washing when performed
0227T
G6027
Anoscopy, high resolution (HRA).. With
biopsy(ies)
Colonoscopy Decision Tree
Decision to
undergo
Colonoscopy
Therapeutic
Colonsocopy
Diagnostic
Colonoscopy
Splenic
Flexure
not
reached
Flexible
Sigmoidoscopy
45330
Beyond
splenic
flexure
but not
to
cecum
Colonoscopy
45378-53
To
Cecum
Colonoscopy
45378 no
modifier
Does not
reach
splenic
flexure
Flexible
Sigmoidoscopy
45331-45347
Beyond
splenic
flexure
but not
to
cecum
Colonoscopy
45379-45398
Modifier 52
To
Cecum
Colonoscopy
45378-45398
No Modifier
OB/GYN
 The introductory guidelines for maternity care are
editorially revised to clearly note that the problem
focused or preventive visit when pregnancy is
confirmed and is not a part of the antepartum care,
and should be reported separately with the
appropriate E/M code
Spinal Surgery
 6 deleted codes
 6 new codes
 New procedure codes are inclusive of bone biopsy
when performed, moderate sedation, and image
guidance necessary to perform the procedure
 Use one primary code and an add-on-code for
additional levels
Spinal Surgery
Table of Changes 2015
2014 CPT®
Code
Description
2015 CPT® Code
22520
Percutaneous vertebroplasty; 1 vertebral body, unilateral or
bilateral injection; thoracic
22510
22521
Percutaneous vertebroplasty; 1 vertebral body, unilateral or
bilateral injection; lumbar
22511
22522
+ add on code; each additional thoracic or lumbar vertebrae
22512
22523
Percutaneous vertebroplasty; 1 vertebral body, unilateral or
bilateral cannulation; thoracic
22513
22524
Percutaneous vertebroplasty; 1 vertebral body, unilateral or
bilateral cannulation; lumbar
22514
22525
+ add on code; each additional thoracic or lumbar vertebrae
22515
Drug Assay
 The “Old” Way
 The old way of coding drug assay was focused on
qualitative versus quantitative testing
 Quantitative: identified the family of the drug or
narrowed the drug to certain classes; Used for
screening (positive yes or no)
 Qualitative: identified the specific analytes with a
single code (how much)
Drug Assay
 The “New” Way
 New focus for 2015 is on “Presumptive” versus
“Definitive” testing
 Presumptive Drug Class procedures are used to
identify possible use or non-use of drug or drug class. A
presumptive may be followed by a definitive test order
to specifically identify the drugs or metabolism
 Definitive Drug Class procedures are qualitative or
quantitative and tests to identify possible use or nonuse of a drug. These tests identify specific drugs and
associated metabolites, if performed. A presumptive
test is not required prior to a definitive drug test.
Drug Assay
 The “New” Way
 New focus “Presumptive” versus “Definitive”
 Allow for advances in medicine, number and type of
materials tested, growth in specialty practices that
directly deal with drug testing (such as Pain Medicine)
 Allows identification of quantitative testing of multiple
analytes within a single procedure
 Methods for reporting analyte now more closely reflect
effort needed to complete current methods for testing
Drug Assay
 New codes for Presumptive Drug Class Screening
 CPT® lists drugs by class (A or B)
 Codes billed based off drug class tested and method
 Methods:
 Dipstick, cups, cards, etc.
 Chemistry analyzer utilizing immunoassay or enzyme assay
 Immunoassay by ELISA or non-TLC chromatography without
mass spectrometry
 Thin layer chromotomography
 New codes are 80300-80304
Drug Assay
Drug Class B
Drug Class A

Alcohol

Amphetamines

Barbituates

Benzodiazepines

Buprenorphine

Cocaine metabolite

Heroin metabolite

Methadone

Methadone metabolite

Methamphetamine

Methaqualone

Opiates

Oxycodone


Acetaminophen

Carisoprodol/Meprobamate

Ethyl Glucuronide

Fentanyl

Ketamine

Meperidine

Methylphenidate

Nicotine/Cptomome

Sa;cu;ate

Synthetic Cannabinoids
Phencyclidine

Tapentadol

Propoxyphene

Tramadol

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)

Zolpidem

Tricyclic Antidepressants
Drug Assay
 New codes for Presumptive Drug Class Screening
 80300:
Drug screen, any number of drug classes
from Drug class list A, any number of non-TLC
devices or procedures capable of being
read by direct optical observation including
instrumented-assisted when performed (eg,
dipstick, cup, card, cartridges), per date of
service
 80301:
Drug screen, any number of drug classes from
Drug Class List A; single drug class method by
instrumented test systems (eg, discrete
multichannel chemistry analyzers utilizing
immunoassay or enzyme assay), per date of
service
Drug Assay
 80302:
Drug screen, presumptive single drug class
from Drug Class List B, by immunoassay (eg,
ELISA) or non-TLC chromatography without
mass spectrometry (eg, GC, HPLC), each
procedure
 80303:
Drug screen, any number of drug classes,
presumptive, single or multiple drug class
method; thin layer chromatography
procedure(s) (TLC) (eg, acid, neutral,
alkaloid plate), per date of service
 80304:
Drug screen, any number of drug classes,
presumptive, single or multiple drug class
method not otherwise specified presumptive
procedure (eg, TOF, MALDI, LDTD, DESI, DART)
each procedure
Drug Assay
 New codes created for Definitive Drug Testing
 Method
 Gas chromatography with mass spec (high complexity)
 Liquid chromatography with mass spec (high complexity)
 Excludes immunoassay or enzymatic methods
 New Definitive Drug Class Listing added to CPT®
 Codes 80320-80377
Ophthalmology
 Vitrectomy codes found to be overvalued were
based on:
 Decreased physician time
 Post-operative complications/visits reduced
 Overall RVU reductions from 7%-28% across code set
67036-67043
Ophthalmology
 92145:
Corneal hysteresis determination, by air
impulse stimulation, unilateral or bilateral,
with interpretation and report
 Replaces Category III Code 0181T
Ophthalmology
 0356T:
Insertion of drug-eluting implant (including
punctual dilation and implant removal when
performed) into lacrimal canaliculus, each
Cardiology
 Revisions to cardioverter defibrillator codes, changing
“pacing cardioverter defibrillator” to “implantable”
defibrillator
 (33215, 33216, 33217, 33218, 33220, 33223, 33224,
33225, 33240, 33230, 33231, 33241, 33262, 33263, 33264,
33243, 33244, 33249)
 The new codes for subcutaneous defibrillator
Cardiology
 33270:
Insertion/replacement of subcutaneous
defibrillator system (pulse generator plus
lead)
 33271:
Insertion of subcutaneous defibrillator
electrode
 33272:
Removal of subcutaneous defibrillator
electrode
 33273:
Repositioning of previous implanted
electrode
Cardiology
 93260:
Programming device evaluation,
subcutaneous defibrillator system
 93261:
Interrogation device evaluation,
subcutaneous defibrillator system
 93644:
Electrophysiologic evaluation, subcutaneous
defibrillator system
Cardiology
 33418:
Transcatheter mitral valve repair,
percutaneous approach, including
transseptal puncture when performed; initial
prosthesis
 +33419: additional prosthesis(es) during same session
 Replaces Category III codes 0343T and 0344T
Cardiology
 93355:
Electrocardiography, transesophageal (TEE)
for guidance of transcatheter intracardiac or
greater vessel(s) structural intervention(s)
real-time image acquisition and
documentation, guidance with quantitative
measurements, probe manipulation,
interpretation, and report, including
diagnostic transesophageal
echocardiography and, administration of
color flow and 3-D ultrasound contrast,
Doppler (when performed)
Cardiology
DO NOT REPORT CODE
93355 WITH:
Echocardiography
93312, 93313, 93314, 93315,
93316, 93317, 93318, 93320,
93321, 93325
3-D Image Reconstruction
76376 or 76377
Radiology
 Breast ultrasound code 76645 has been deleted, now
see 76641, 76642
 76641:
Ultrasound breast, unilateral, real time with
image documentation, including axilla when
performed; complete
 76642:
limited
Radiology
 76641:
represents a complete ultrasound
examination of the breast
 Examination of all four quadrants of the breast, and
retroareolar region
 76642: consists of a focused ultrasound examination of
the breast
 Limited to the assessment of one or more quadrants but not
all of the elements of the complete examination
Radiology
 Breast Tomosynthesis
 New codes for 2015 for breast tomosynthesis
 New add-on-code for screening digital breast
tomosynthesis
 Creates a 3-D image of the breast(s) using X-ray
Radiology
New CPT® for 2015
Description of Code
77061
Digital breast
tomosynthesis; unilateral
77062
bilateral
+ 77063
Add-on-code; Screening
digital breast tomosynthesis,
bilateral (list separately in
addition to code for
primary procedure
Use 77063 in conjunction
with 77057
Radiation Oncology
9 Codes Deleted for 2015
3 Remaining but Modified
77403
77404
77406
77402: Radiation treatment
delivery
1 MeV; simple
77408
77409
77411
77407: Radiation treatment
delivery > 1 MeV;
intermediate
77413
77414
77416
774012: Radiation
treatment delivery > 1 MeV;
complex
Radiation Oncology
Simple:
All of the following
criteria are met
and one of the
complex or
intermediate
criteria are met;
single treatment
area, one or two
ports, and two or
fewer simple blocks
Intermediate:
Any of the
following criteria
are met and one
of the complex
criteria are met; 2
separate
treatment areas, 3
or more ports on a
single treatment
area, or 3 or more
simple blocks
Complex:
Any of the following
criteria are met, 3 or
more separate
treatment areas,
custom blocking,
tangential ports
wedges, rotational
beam, field-in-field
or other tissue
compensation that
does not meet IMRT
guidelines, or
electron beam
Radiation Oncology
3 Codes
Deleted for
2015
Description
77421
Stereoscopic X-ray guidance for localization of
target volume for the delivery of radiation
therapy
76950
Ultrasound guidance for placement of
radiation therapy fields
0197T
Intra-fraction localization and tracking of target
or patient motion during delivery or radiation
therapy
77014
Computerized tomography guidance for
placement of radiation therapy fields; 1 Code
no longer reported with Image Guided
Radiation Therapy
1 Code Added for
2015
77387
Guidance for
localization of
target volume for
delivery of radiation
treatment delivery,
includes intrafraction tracking,
when performed
Intensity Modulated
Radiation Therapy (IMRT)
2 Codes Deleted for 2015
2 New Codes Added for
2015
77418:
Intensity modulated
treatment delivery
77385:
IMRT delivery; includes
guidance and tracking
when performed; simple
0073T:
Compensator based IMRT
77386:
IMRT delivery; includes
guidance and tracking,
when performed; complex
Intensity Modulated
Radiation Therapy (IMRT)
Simple:
Any of the following
prostate, breast, and
all sites using physical
compensated based
IMRT
Complex:
Includes all other sites
if not using physical
compensator based
(IMRT)
Radiation Oncology
 CMS delaying implementation of changes until
2016 due substantial nature of code revisions
 New and revised 2015 code for Radiation
Therapy codes (76950, 77014, 77421, 77387,
77401, 77402, 77403, 77404, 77406, 77407, 77408,
77409, 77411, 77412, 77413, 77414, 77416, 77418,
77385, 77386, 0073T, 0197T) will not be recognized
by Medicare in 2015
 CMS created G codes for use in 2015
Radiation Oncology
2014 Code
2015 HCPCS
2014 Code
2015 HCPCS
76950
G6001
77411
G6010
77421
G6002
77412
G6011
77402
G6003
77413
G6012
77403
G6004
74414
G6013
77404
G6005
77416
G6014
77406
G6006
77418
G6015
77407
G6007
0073T
G6016
77408
G6008
0197T
G6017
77409
G6009
Teletherapy Isodose
Planning
3 Codes Deleted
2 New Codes Added
77305
Teletherapy isodose plan;
simple
77316
Brachytherapy isodose
plan; simple
77310
Teletherapy isodose plan;
intermediate
77317
Brachytherapy isodose
plan; intermediate
77315
Teletherapy isodose plan;
complex
77318
Brachytherapy isodose
plan; complex
Brachytherapy Isodose
Planning
3 Deleted Codes for 2015
3 New Codes Added for
2015
77326
Brachytherapy isodose
plan; simple
77316
Brachytherapy isodose
plan; simple
77327
Brachytherapy isodose
plan; intermediate
77317
Brachytherapy isodose
plan; intermediate
77328
Brachytherapy isodose
plan; complex
77318
Brachytherapy isodose
plan; complex
Pediatrics/ Family Practice
 90651:
Human Papilomavirus vaccine types 6, 11,
16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, 58 nonavalent (HPV), 3
dose schedule for intramuscular use
 90630:
Influenza virus vaccine, quadrivalent (IIV4),
split virus, preservative free, for intradermal
use
 90654:
Influenza virus vaccine, trivalent (IIV3), split
virus, preservative free, for intradermal use
Pediatrics/ Family Medicine
 96110: Development screening (eg, developmental
milestone survey, speech and language, delay
screen) with scoring and documentation, per
standardized instrument (the word “from” was
removed)
 For an emotional/behavioral assessment, use 96127
Pediatrics/ Family Medicine
 96127: Brief emotional/behavioral assessment (eg,
depression inventory, attention-deficit/hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD) scale), with scoring and
documentation, per standardized instrument
 For developmental screening, use 96110
Active Wound Care
Management
 97605:
Negative pressure wound therapy (eg,
vacuum assisted drainage collection) utilizing
durable medical equipment (DME) including
topical application(s), wound assessment,
and instruction(s) for ongoing care, per
session: total wound(s) surface area less than
or equal to 50 square centimeters
 97606:
total wound(s) surface area greater than 50
square centimeters
Active Wound Care
Management
 97607:
Negative pressure wound therapy (eg,
vacuum assisted drainage collection),
utilizing disposable, non-durable medical
equipment including provision of exudate
management collection system, topical
application(s) wound assessment, and
instructions for ongoing care, per session;
total wound(s) surface area less than or
equal to 50 square centimeters
 97608:
total wound(s) surface area greater than 50
square centimeters
Hypothermia of Neonates
99481
Total body
hypotheremia
&
99482
Selective head
hypothermia
Replaced
by
99184
Initiation of
selective head or
total body
hypothermia in
the critically ill
neonate
Hypothermia of Neonates
 Code 99184 combines both selective head and total
body hypothermia of neonates into a single
description that includes all of the service components
required of this procedure including:
 The review of clinical, imaging and laboratory data
 Confirmation of esophageal temperature probe location
 Evaluation of amplitude electroencephalography (EEG)
 Supervision of controlled hypothermia
 Assessment of patient tolerance of cooling
Hypothermia of Neonates
 With no E/M service in this code, the hypothermia
services are located in the Medicine section
 Code 99184 represents a single service that may be
reported only once per hospital stay, as captured in
the parathetical note following 99184
 Hypothermia services are considered a separately
reported service from the initial inpatient and
subsequent inpatient neonatal critical care codes
99468 and 99469
References
 AMA 2015 CPT® Professional
 AMA CPT® Changes 2015: An Insider’s View
 AMA CPT® and RBRVS 2015 Annual Symposium
 AAPC Complete 2015 Procedure Coding Updates
 NAMAS Coding Revolution
 NAMAS 2015 CPT® Coding Changes for 2015
 CMS 2015 Proposed Physician Fee Schedule
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